Trump Admin Extends Sanctions on Iran

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated seven targets in connection with Iran’s ballistic missile program:

OFAC designated two senior Iranian defense officials, including a defense official who facilitated the sale of explosives and provided other support to Syria and the director of the organization responsible for Iran’s solid-fueled ballistic missile program.

In addition, OFAC designated a China-based network that is supporting Iran’s military by supplying millions of dollars’ worth of missile-applicable items and an Iran-based entity that is assisting Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Today’s actions were taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382, which targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery and supporters of such activity. These sanctions underscore the United States’ concern with Iran’s continued development and testing of ballistic missiles.

“This Administration is committed to countering Iran’s destabilizing behavior, such as Iran’s development of ballistic missiles and support to the Assad regime. It is alarming that individuals involved with Iran’s missile program are assisting the brutal Assad regime, and we are taking action to curtail this behavior,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.

“These sanctions target Iranian officials as well as a China-based network that are providing support to Syria and supplying items to further Iran’s ballistic weapons program. The United States will remain vigilant when it comes to Iran.”

OFAC took today’s action in conjunction with the State Department’s release of its semi-annual report to Congress detailing sanctions imposed on persons responsible for or complicit in human rights abuses committed against citizens of Iran or their family members. View Report

Morteza Farasatpour and Rahim Ahmadi

OFAC sanctioned Morteza Farasatpour, a senior Iranian defense official, for his activities on behalf of a designated Iranian defense entity. Farasatpour was designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 for acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Iran’s Defense Industries Organization (DIO). DIO was designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 on March 30, 2007, for engaging in activities that have materially contributed to the development of Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.